Explosive shell.



' L. A. BERRY. EXPLQSIVE SHELL. APPLICATION FILED APR.8. 1913.

Patentd Apr. 15,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I L. AfBEHRY. EXPLOSIVE SHELL. APPLICATION FILED APRQB. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Apr. 15,1919. 1

. 0 50 o -o o O 0 6 0 o o 0 o o o 0 0, 0 Q 0 60- 01000 0 o o c c o J I, I 50" amt ' citizen of the -United States,

-Allston,

' dr cipped from FFTCE;

LEROY A. BERRY, or nnnsron, massncnusnrrs.

nx'rno'srvn SHELL.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1918. Serial No. 227,829.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEROY A. BERRY, a residing at in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Shells; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inventlon, such as willenable others skilled in.

the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

y invention hasfor its principal object to provide an explosiveshell which is easily convertible'for use as a from a gun, or as an aerial bomb to be aeroplanes and the like.

he shell body is so constructed as to per- -mit either a projectile head and ,base or an aerial bomb head and base to be attached the arrangement of fuses in said thereto,

- shell body being such as to permit firing cation and in which:

either bythe projectile base or the aerial bomb head. p A still further objectis to provide means for anchoring the shell and rotating it in a vertical osition when dropped from an airship, an projecting a plurality of missiles from the device while so rotating, whereby to establish a danger zone of considerable area.

With the foregoing general objects in Y view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique combinatlons of parts to be'hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented" y the accompanying drawingswhich forma part of this specifi- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention used as an aerial bomb;

I Fig; 2 is a longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the plane indicatedby. the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

,Flg. 4 is a side elevation of the invention used as a projectile; and

Fig; 5 is a longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 1. designates the shell body, 2 and 3'ref'er respectively'to the head and base to be attached to said body 1 in forming'the aerialbomb disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2,, and

I the numerals '2 155 and 3 a projectile head and cable to the ends of projectile to be shot designate respectivel base which are apph' the body 1 to' form a from a gun.

projectile to be fired pockets 5.

projectile hea of any preferred construction.

. 17 of the aerial fuse of the charge 8 is'ignited.

charge 8 and base 3 an additional time fuse 19 to be ignited when The body 1 is of cylindrical formation or supplemental chambers 5 in which missiles 6 and explosive charges 7 for projectingthem are located.

The charges 7 are fired in advance of a main cha'rge18 in the bore 4 and in order that the shell body 1 may be broken into a number of pieces when said master charge is exploded, said body is weakened by a plurality. of longitudinal and cir- Patented Apr. 15, 1919'. I

a longitudinal bore of uniform cumferential splits 9 which pass between the several pockets 5 as shown clearly 'in Figs. 1' and 4. These, splits are-filled with lead or any other suitable material when the shell is manufactured and some similar filler is provided to retain the missiles 6 in the supplemental chambers or be stated thatthemissiles in of incendiary type, of other preferred formation.

Formed longitudinally of the body 1 and opening through both ends thereo are a plurality of longitudinal fuse ports 11 from which branch orts 12 lead to the several Ot or branch ports13' and 14 lead .from the ends ofthe ports 11 into the central chamber 4, the former ing from the rear endsof the ports 11 while the latter (14) extend from the front ends thereof. A plurality of threaded plugs 15 are provided for closin the front ports 14 when the aerial bomb head 2 is employed and for closin the rear ports '13 when-the 2 is used. All of the ports with the exception of those which are filled by the plugs 15, are provided with fuses 16. The fuses of the longitudinal bores 11 are fired by fuses bomb head 2 or by fuses 17 with which the projectile base 3 is equipped, and it will thus be seen that the several charges 7 will be fired before the ignition 'If desired, the head 2 may be provided with a time fuse 18 serving as further ignition means for the may be provided with question may be the shell is dropped, to insure explosion of the device-asfa whole in case the ercussion cap 20 which ignites the fuses 1 and 18, should fail to operate. The fuses 17 terininate at their rear ends in ignition champockets 5. It may hereshrapnel, or of any (13) extend bers21 and a plurality of ports 22 lead to said chambers from'the rear end of'the base 3. It thus follows that when the impelling tive, whereby to permit penetration of the'.

,tim'e fuse a 23 an charge is fired in rear will pass through the bar 21 and ignite the tile head 2' 1s by (Freferencerovided with a suitable etonation point for exploding the master charge 8 a suitable time after the shell has struck an objecof the projectile, flame object before explosiontakes place;

3 and 3* are provided with central bosses 24v which are threaded into the ends of the bore or chambe' vided with-cavities 25 extending a consider- .able distance into the heads and bases'in question and serving to increase the holding capacity of the aforesaid bore or chamber. The construction of the projectile head 2 and the projectile base 3' does not vary greatly from similar. parts'now' known, said base being provided with apacking rin 26 for gas, t1 of the gun arrel. This ring 26v connects the two sections of which the base 3 is constructed. The head and'base2 and 3 how-' ever possess wide departures from the 'constructions now followed. As above suggested, when these parts are used, the sh 1. 1s adapted to be dropped from an-aerial car- .rier and in order that it may remain in a 9 vertical position during its descent, .a parachute 27 is attached to the base 3 by means of "a central standard 28 and tie wires or the like 29.

The front end ably therein the rear'end of a bearing pin '31 vwh1ch'is normally held spaced from "the 'cap 20 b a coiled spring 32. The-pin 31 is preferab y rear section anda tubular front section 88 having a threaded connection at 34, said section rec'eivin rotatahly the rear cylindrical end 35 o a longitudinal spike or anch'or 36 which-is adaptcd'to hold the shell ii'ng' been ignited by in a vertical g osition when it strikes. an object below. h lower end of the tubular equipped with an outstanding annular flange 38, ball 1 is permit to rotate rotating, the explosive'char I y 1 arefired from the fuses .1 the latter-hav- M a percussion cap 20 which ishiploded the moment the anchor 36 strikes. Fi of the charges 7 p jects all of the missiles 6 over an area f tively large danger zone around the a all the charges orts 22 into the chamsee 17. The pro ec-- Both of the heads 2, 2" and the two bases 4, said bosses-being 'proht engagement with the ri ing v V of head 2 is provided with" a central socket 230 in which the ercuaaion" cap 20 is located,,said socket receiving slidformed of two sections, a solid wlth the accom 'obviousthat a ing simpl necessary .and base f; (15 in the section 33 is 'shown provided with an-annular' ball race 37 and the spike 36 is I bearings 39 being positioned" between the two By this arran ement,'the entire shell body v freely up n the anchor strikes andpenetrates an object. While thus es 7 of the body,

26 when the latter withm the sc'o considerable size and thus forms" a compara oint at which. the projectile strikes. After g of fired through the rear ports 13. 1f from any cause however this should not take place, the time fuses 18 .and' 19 will become 7 the master charge 8 is effective for this purpose. When this master charge is exploded, the entirev shell is broken into fragments which will further wreak damage upon the surrounding Any preferred means could. well be em-. ployed for bracing the -firi1i pin 31 and guiding the same, and as il ustrating one ofthe many ways in "which this can be done z I have shown a pluralitg of arms 41 secure to the head 2 and exten ed forwardl .therefrom,

tion 33 of'the firing pi a When the head 2" a (1 base 3 are used in connection with the body 1, the firing By this means, the shell high rate of speed said head and arrangedhellsaid arms having pin and sot connections or the like 42 {ith the tubular secof the charges'7 is delayed a suitable length of time by-means of the'slow burninfijftflses e ore 17. and if all of said charges are fired the'projectile strikesythe master char e 8'. will be, fired through the orts 14. I the projectile strikes before alof said char are-fired, however said charge is explo by the time fuse 23.

From the foregoing,

nying drawings, it will be high is a simple matter to-con'vert the device into either an aerial bomb or a projectile, it.be-

' to substitute one head r the other'and to placethe pl a l the several featnres'shown'and described these features are preferaiblyl' employed,'. butx 1..

epresen't disclosure a andthatf' of theinvention asclaimed, considerable 1 atitude is allowedfor the wish it understood that t is for; illustrative :purposes' only,

ed -i taken in connection" though my. invention is of comparatively simple construction, it 'willbe. I

efficient for the purposes intended. It

P p p rtals-+14. Since p t e ts are obtained from the adaptation of the invention to the numerous re uirements.

claim: 1. An explosive shell and a rear section, said rear sectlon a fuse leadin means, and a including a forwardly movable toward and rotatable on said .front section .when the latter strikesan object,

said front section having anchoring eans effective when said section strikes, issiles carried by saidrear section, explosive means for projecting said missiles, and means operab e by the movement of said rear sections toward said front sections for firing said explosive means.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said firing means comprising a percussion cap, therefrom to said explosive rin section for exploding said cap when said rear section moves toward the other.

3. An explosive shell comprising a shell body carrying a plurality of missiles and explosive means for dischar prO ecting firing pin for firing said .exp osive means, guiding means for said pinpermitting forward. movement of said shell body when movement of said pin is arrested, whereby tofire said cap, and an anchor rotatably connected to the front end of said firing in and serving to rotatably support the she 1 body when said anchor strikes.

4. A structure asspecified in claim 3, said pin guiding means comprising forwar y extending arms on said shell body had? sliding connections with said pin.

5. structure as specified in claim 3, said firing pin having a socket in its front end and said anchor having a portion-on its rear end received in said socket to form'said ro-' tatable connection. a

6. A structure as specified in claim 3, said- I firing pin having a socket in its front end "explosive and a spike alined with and rotatably connected to the front end of said firin pin, said shell body bein rotatable on said spike when the latter stri es.

explosive shell comprising a shell bod 1 carrying a pluralit of missiles and exp osive means for pro ecting said pin having a socket in its front end and a ball race around said socket, a splke whose rear end is rotatably I for firing pin carried by said front ging them, means as specified in claim 3, at

ischarging them.

. means including a forwardl firing pin for firing said exp oslve means,

received in said socket, said spike havin a laterally extending annular flange un erlying said ball race, and ball bearings between said flange and race,

whereby .said shell body may rotate when.

said spike strikes and penetrates an object;

10. A convertible shell comprising a cylindrical shell bed to the ends of which a rojeetileI basean head Oran aerialbomb ase and head are attachable, said shell body having explosive means therein and a fuse leadin to both ends of the body for coac tion with the aerial bomb head or the projectile base.

said explosive means, said fuse- 11. In an explosive shell, a cylindrical shell body to which either a and head or anaerial bomb" ase and head are attachable, said body having a main central chamber and a plurality of supplemental chambers around the same, explosive charges in all of said chambers, said body having a longitudinal fuse port opening through its ends, a fuse in said porttobe fired either rojectile base aby the projectile base or 't e aerial bomb head, said body-being provi ed with branch ports leading from said longitudinal port to said supplemental chambers, :and with a front and a rear branch port leading from the ends of said longitudinal port into said main chamber, fuses in said ports with the exception of one, and a plug closing the latter, said plug closing sald front branch port when the aerial bombliead is used and closing said rear branch port when the projec-v tile base is employed.

- 12. A structure as specified in claim 11,-

said main central chamber being formed by a longitudinal bore of uniform diameter throughout its length and opening through the ends of said shell body, the endsof said here being threaded to receive threaded bosses on the aforesaid bases and heads.

13. An explosive shell comprising a front and a rear section rotatably connected, said rear section being adapted for rotation upon said front section when the latter strikes an object, and said front section having anchoring means effective when said section strikes, missiles carried by and gojectible from said rear section, and su tantially helical vanes on said rear section acted upon by the air during the travel of the shell to rotate said rear section.

1 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. n v LEROY A. BERRY.

Witnesses: "FRANK L. BRIER,

MABEL A. WYMAN. 

